Cordyline plant named ‘Seipin’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Cordyline australis,  ‘Seipin’, characterized by its foliage that exhibits greyed purple centers and bright pink margins.

Botanical classification: Cordyline australis.

Cultivar designation: ‘Seipin’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCordyline australis and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivarname, ‘Seipin’. ‘Seipin’ represents a new cultivar of cabbage tree orcabbage palm and is grown as a foliage plant for landscape and containeruse.

The inventor discovered and the new cultivar as a naturally-occurringchimeral mutation of Cordyline australis ‘Red Star’ (not patented) in atissue culture lab in Lancashire, United Kingdom in 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by invitro leaf base propagation in 2002 in Lancashire, United Kingdom underthe direction of the inventor. The characteristics of this cultivar havebeen determined to be stable and are reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Seipin’ as a new and unique cultivar of Cordyline.

-   -   1. ‘Seipin’ exhibits foliage that is greyed purple in color with        pink variegation on the margins of the leaves.    -   2. ‘Seipin’ is readily propagated by tissue culture.

In comparison to the parent plant, ‘Red Star’, ‘Seipin’ has greyedpurple foliage with bright pink margins on its leaves whereas ‘Red Star’lacks the pink margin on its leaves.

In comparison to the Cordyline australis cultivar ‘Pink Stripe’ (notpatented), ‘Seipin’ has pink variegation on the margins of its leaveswhereas ‘Pink Stripe’ has pink variegation in the center of its leaves.In comparison to the Cordyline australis cultivar ‘Pacific Coral’ (notpatented), ‘Seipin’ has greyed purple leaves with pink margins whereas‘Pacific Coral’ has olive green leaves with Pink margins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Cordyline. The photographs inFIG. 1 and FIG. 2 were taken of a 2 year-old plant of ‘Seipin’ as grownoutdoors in a 22 cm container in Lancashire, United Kingdom.

FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘Seipin’ and FIG. 2 provides a close upview of the stem of ‘Seipin’.

FIG. 3 was taken of 3 month-old plants and illustrates the uniformity of‘Seipin’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized. The color values cited inthe detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of thenew Cordyline.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 2 year-old plants of the newcultivar as grown outdoors in Lancashire, United Kingdom. The phenotypeof the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic,and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance withthe 2001 R.H.S. Colour Chart of the Royal Horticultural Society, London,England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: ‘Seipin’ is a cultivar of Cordyline    australis.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring chimeral mutation of Cordyline    australis ‘Red Star’.-   Blooming period.— No flower production has been observed for    ‘Seipin’.-   General Description:    -   -   Plant habit.—Evergreen tropical perennial, upright, solitary            stem.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 60 cm in height and 50 cm            in width.        -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zone 10.        -   Culture.—Well drained soils in full sun in the United            Kingdom.        -   Diseases and pests.—No unique susceptibility or resistance            to diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Propagation.—Tissue culture.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate, vigor typical to other cultivars of            Cordyline australis.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem length.—1 to 2 cm to lowest leaves.        -   Stem width.—Average of 1.6 cm.        -   Stem cross-section.—Round, solid.        -   Stem surface.—Cork-like.        -   Stem color.—Primarily 199D.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Linear.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Narrowing into an indistinctly defined sheathed            petiole.        -   Leaf apex.—Acuminate.        -   Leaf venation.—Longitudinal, parallel, not prominent, same            color as leaves.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire, weakly revolute.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sheathed with ill defined petiole.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Whorled in tight rosette.        -   Leaf orientation.—Held upright and up to a 45° angle.        -   Leaf substance.—Thick, leathery.        -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous, dull, weakly carinate.        -   Leaf color.—Young and mature leaves upper surface; closest            to N186A with a marginal band and a few streaks of 59C, the            marginal band and streaks become broader towards base, young            and mature leaves lower surface; color between N187A and            N187B with a marginal band and a few streaks of 186A, the            marginal band and streaks become broader towards base.        -   Venation.—Parallel, mid rib 185D on upper surface and same            color as leaf on lower surface.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 54 cm in length and 3 cm in width.        -   Petiole.—Weakly defined about 10 cm in length and 2 cm in            width, color of upper surface is 59A with a faint greyer            central stripe and 157A near attachment, color of lower            surface is 186A with a center band that is greyer in color            (no color code match).

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Cordyline plant named ‘Seipin’ asherein illustrated and described.